Mohave County miner., 1887-11-05
The Csiisssvss Kxeursisns.

Il 10 about this time that the annual
cheap railroad excursions 10 Caliiornia
begin, and there Is perhaps not town in
the State that does not contribute pas
-enger or two TO them. These excursions
may be viewed from two sides. There 10,
first. the standpoint OF the passenger who,
having heard OF California all his life a. Q
sort Of paradise, with the most perfect
climate, the most stnpendons scenery,
the richest soil, and the largest flowers
and fruits and vegetables the world ever
produced. concludes now tn yisit this
wonderful region. and perhaps TO settle
there and make his fortune In two or
three years, like others OF whom he has
heard. And there is next the standpoint
of the railroads, who would like 20 carry
this passenger, and Of the land boomers,
who wonId like t. sell land TO him These
railroads and boomers don't attempt to
lower the passengers estimate of Caliior-
mia at all. On The contrary, they supply
him with circuiars, and they keep the
newspapers OF the country full OF reports
from the Pacific paradise tending to con-
firm his views, which in fact are not
altogether wrong.
There ase now some five overland rail-
roads, built and maintained at enor-
nous expense, all in keen competition
with each other, and all with their pas
senger departments in charge of sharp
business men, who use every available
device TO increase the travel over their
roads. The result has been the organiz-
alton Of the cheap overland excursion
train, which starts from Kansas City or
Omaha or st. Paul, and consists Of nm al
most endless line OF emigrant sleeping
cars, laden with crowds OF excursionists
who flock thther from all over the coun-
try. These swarming trains, which offer
no advantage either in price or comfort
over the ordinary trains, keep arriving in
California all winter, especially at the
times Of cui-rate fares; and it is amusing
to be in Los Angeles or San Francisco on
day when they come in. Every hotel
looks like an cncamped army, for the
rooms are oil taken, the parlors are full OF
cots, and excursionists stand abont every
where. with their baggage, like the ants
in nest that has been broken open.
The Old Californian can hardly avoid
wondern+ a little at all this. He knows
his own State very well, OF course. The
wonderful descriptive circulars sent out
by the railroad agents and the emigration
societies and the land companies merely
m Ike him smile. His State, he knows,
M far a. the country goes, is simply .
Western State, like the others; IL has q
fertile soil and lots OF land to sell--for
money IL is new. aud, as in new States,
the roads are often muddy, the country
towns are unkempt, the butchcr-cart Is
unknown, the school house il remote and,
In word, many conveniences Of life In
an older community are wanting. This
IL not saying that II Ia not State OF Great
agricultural resources, already largely de-
veloped or tfat IL re are not now many
enterprising to"ns and cities, In which,
by the way, there is never any difficulty
In discovering real estate agent.
The mild winter climate OF this State
is variable. Sometimes there are weeks
and weeks OF rain; often there IL delight
ful, sunny weather. but there Is no time
when the invalid will not feel the want Of
a fire at morning and evening. and often
he will need it all day.
The great farming valleys--Sacramento
and San Joaquin--are vast, level plains
without picturesque feature; but fertile
hill regions abound elsewhere. The farm
buildings as a rule look rude. and farm
life il rougb. The summer In season of
nnintermitted dust and dryness. and the
country wants the rural sighiliness 10
which we are accustomed in New ENGLAND. j
There are many fine fruit orchards to be
seen, rome Of an nnaccustomed kind;
there are roses 10 he picked in January,
and strawberries IN he osfen in February,
and there In wonderful Yosemite valley,
which ran he visited on'y in summer.
All this II IN no resrect very remark
able. and one cannot he'p thinking that
the visitor who GOES to California expect
i'm ~ find IL sort of Aycadis or Paradise
will he disappointed. I. is simp'v the
most interesting Of the Western States,
which II resembles in many respects, 20.
pecially those that relate to the manner
and fashion Of country life. Bnt. on the
other hand. the excursionist who merely
desires TO rec splendid and rather novel
region in remote quarter NJ onr country
may undoubtedly accomplish his object
by this trip. He can also thus escape the
severity Of the Eastern winter: and II the
route he selects be any other than the
Southern ones. he will see some fine
mountain scenery on the way.--Xenos
Clark, in Springfield tsiass.) Homestead.